Motion-picture color-filter.



E. ZOLLINGER & S. MISCHONSNIKY.

MOTION PICTURE COLOR FILTER;

APPLICATION FILED DEC-2,1912.

Patented Nov. 7,1916.

ERNEST ZOLLINGER AND SIMON MISCHONSNIKY, OF TURIN, ITALY.

MOTION-PICTURE COLOR-FILTER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented m. '7, 1916.

Application filed December 2, 1912. .Serial No. 734,549.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, ERNEST ZOLLINGER, a citizen of Switzerland, andSIMON Mrs- CHONSNIKY, a subject of the Emperor of Russia, both residentsof Turin, Italy, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inMotion-Picture Color-Filters; and we do hereby declare the following tobe a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as willenable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and usethe same.

This process of cinematography .in colors is carried out by takingsuccessively two pictures through two groups of color filters, andafterward projecting positives of said images through the same filters.Up to the present time this has been done by two projections, onethrough a positive image and its pertaining screen, i. e. this positiveimage is a print from a negative taken through a like or similar screen;and the other projection through a second positive image and itspertaining color screen, i. 6., this second positive is a print from anegative taken through a like or similar screen. Now, according to ourinvention, we also use two pictures and make one or both negatives bysuccessive exposures through successive color screens, and consequentlythe print or positive used in projecting said image is but a singlepositive projected through the same or similar color screens used inmaking the single negative from which said positive was made.

The group used for taking the first image or impression may be composedof several filters, each of them havingjits complement in the secondgroup of filters, or we may use a single filter for taking the firstimage or impression, and a group of filters for the second image orimpression, the whole being complementary. We may also take the firstimage through a group of filters and the other image through a singlecomplementary filter.

The number of filters of one group is not necessarily equal to that ofthe second group, but each group must be complementary to the othergroup or to the filter. Thus, for instance, we may take an exposurethrough a group ,of filters, sayyel1ow orange yellow and another througha group-green-blueblue-violet. 1

In taking the pictures it will be found convenient to use the green-blueand blue-violet filters in such proportion that a difference of opacityor density will be produced between the impression due to the greenscreen and the impression due to the blue-violet ones obtained in thesame field.

The groups of filters are suitably arranged in form of sectors oppositeto each other,

and are revolved so that each complete rotation corresponds to twosuccessive exposures, each exposure being made during the passage of oneof the two sectors.

This invention has the advantage that, in

taking the pictures, it is possible to vary the tune for each exposureaccording to the the picture by a cinematographic camera,

provided with a shutter allowing .two exposures at each turn of the diskcarrying the two sectors. During the first exposure, the image was takenthrough the first sector, constituted by the red screen, allowing allthe red lines of the spectrum and a. few of the yellow ones to pass;during the second exposure the image was taken through the second sectorconstituted by two successive filters, one being green and the otherblueviolet, allowing all the spectrum lines to pass, with the exceptionof those passing through the first sector. This second image has,moreover, two maxima of opacity corresponding "to the characteristics ofthe green and blue-violet filters.

The invention will be readily understood by the aid of the accompanyingdrawing, in which- I Figure 1 is an elevation ofthe disk carrying thefilters and shutters used in taking the images. Fig. 2 is a section onthe line A-B' Fig. 1, and Fig. 3 is an elevation of the disk used inprojecting the images.

The system of filters and shutter parts is constituted by a disk 6 and aring 7, both provided on opposite sections with grooves 8 and connectedtogether by means of two opaque sectors S, constituting the shutters.The filters are fitted in the grooves 8 and held therein; the red filterl2, is immovable, while the green filter, 35, and blueviolet filter, 54,are adjacent one another and constitute the group for the second image,and may be caused to slide along their groove, so that in the constantarea free to the passage of the luminous rays comprised between the ends3%' of the shutters, the proportion of the area of said two filters maybe varied. The system of filters and shutter for projecting the imagealso has two opaque parts S, separating the two opposite groups offilters, one red filter R, and the other green filter G and theblue-violet filter BY. In this system all filters are immovable. Thenegative thus obtained is then printed to produce a positive print orpicture.

This invention also embraces the taking oi two exposures successivelythrough two groups of complementary filters and allowing all thespectrum rays to pass.

By means of the well-known tri-color process it is possible to localizethe three fundamental colors, but three exposures are required, and the(Ii-chrome process, in which only the colors red and green are used,reproduce only the objects which are not blue or blue-violet, namelyonly the green and red objects and all the half tones between them.

\Ve claim In a motion picture apparatus, means comprising a plurality ofcolor filter area s adapted to pass successively across the path oflight, at least one of said areas consisting of a group of adjustable,different color filters, so as to permit a relative variation of areabetween the filters of said group.

In testimony that we claim the foregoing as our invention, we havesigned our names.

ERNEST ZOLLINGER.

SIMON MISCHONSNIKY.

